A most sweet and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in conscience…A most sweete and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in consciscience…

Wherefore as these men seem to be half healed, when any man of knowledge can be brought, who by experience hath cured the like malady in like degrees in others. So then the fearful souls are not a little by hope refreshed and strengthened to look for some ease, when they see none other tentation hath overtaken them, than such as having fallen into the nature of man, have found mercy at the hands of God that he might be feared. This ground work framed, it is good to build up and repair the decayed joy of the mind, partly by the Law, to ⟨image 65⟩make a preparative for these joys; if the mind not truly humbled, is not fit truly to be comforted: and partly by the gospel, if the conscience kindly thrown down, is become a fit subject to apply the promises of Jesus Christ unto it. And here again, to answer them that deny the law wholly or at all to be used, when we would breed comfort in one. I demand, whether if it be necessary to maintain the righteousness of Christ, it be not also as necessary to preserve the righteousness of the Law? Seeing the righteousness of the Law, of us not fulfilled, will draw us unto the righteousness ⟨image 66⟩of Christ to us imputed. And sith the righteousness of Christ to us imputed, is never throughly and truly esteemed, until we see the righteousness of the law of us to be unperformed. Again, if our Saviour Christ did fore show his Disciples, that the first work of the holy Ghost at his coming, should be to convict the world of sin, to make men know, that without Jesus Christ there is nothing but sin; and then, that he should rebuke the World of righteousness, that they might see Christ died not for his own, but the sins of others. I see not why it should not be very ⟨image 66⟩convenient, first to lay open the righteousness of the law, that men may see their sins; and then the righteousness of Christ; that men may see their sins discharged in him. Besides, where the Lord saith by his Prophet, At what time soever a sinner doth repent of his sins from the bottom of his hart, I vvill put all his wickedness out of my remembrance: that it may well be gathered there must be a sound sorrow for sin going before, and then the true joy of sins pardoned, may the more freely be looked for afterward.

Wherefore as these men seeme to bee halfe healed, when any man of knowledg can bee brought, who by experience hath cured the like malladie in like degrees in others. So then the fearefull soules are not a little by hope refreshed and strengthned to looke for some ease, when they see none other tentation hath ouertaken them, thā such as hauing fallen into the nature of man, haue found mercie at the handes of God that hee might bee feared. This ground worke framed, it is good to build vp and repaire the decayed ioy of the minde, partly by the Law, to